Of Roses and Cuffs
by shygirlbobby
Summary: "From today, Naruto Uzumaki is hereby declared a missing nin of Konohagakure." The announcement was met with a sombre, unbelieving crowd, hoping that their ears had deceived them. But Tsunade kept her silence, and Shikamaru made clear the bitter truth they had to swallow. "So he had finally decide to go to Sasuke."


At first, Naruto Uzumaki was alone.

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Naruto was never fond of talking about his past. He always preferred to keep it under wrap, away from everyone's mind. It wasn't as if there were many people that asked, but Naruto had been aware enough from a very young age to know that nobody cares. Naruto learned quick what it meant to starve, what it meant to hurt. As far as he knew, the bare solace he had was only his cluttered apartment: a cold, washed out pretend-house that gets broken in every once in awhile.

To be honest, Naruto could recall very few of his childhood. But at the same time, what little he remembered was too much to talk about.

Naruto never understand why, but he knew not to ask. Nobody would answer him anyway, and deep down, Naruto feels he doesn't want to know why.

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The academy was a distraction for the blonde. He struggled with making friends, he struggled with reading, he struggled with nearly everything. The teachers were ruthless, and the children were warned to stay away. There wasn't anything new, really. But at least he was busy doing something, and it was always better than staying in his dingy apartment.

It was when he was around seven years old when he noticed that something happened. It wasn't something so alarming at first, but Naruto, who was always hyper aware about his surrounding, noticed a grim atmosphere from the chunnin running around the academy. Sasuke Uchiha was missing from his customary seat, and the teachers did not provide any explanation regarding his absence. Days go by, and still no Sasuke Uchiha. He tried to forget about it and concentrate to his class, but it was always there, at the back of his mind, bothering him without fault.

He was proved right not even a week later.

Fate always had a funny way of meeting people, it seemed. Naruto found Sasuke—or Sasuke found him. It was past midnight; most people were already nice and warm in their house. Several patrols were occasionally past by, but other than that, not one soul was to be seen. Luck was not on his side that day, and earlier in the night he got a beating from a couple of drunk villagers that he accidentally bumped to. He was left alone when they were satisfied, and when Naruto was awake enough, he realised that he was simply too weak to walk back to his apartment. Instead, he chose to retreat to the nearby park—which by then was deserted—and rest for the night.

It was then that Naruto saw him. With the uchiwa symbol at the back of his shirt, and the spiky black hair, it does not take a genius to recognise Sasuke Uchiha. The boy was sitting on the bench, his posture rigid and his head down. Naruto carefully sat beside him, but made no other move. The boy's bangs was covering his eyes, and Naruto could not tell if the Uchiha was even aware of his presence.

There was a whimper, and it was at that moment that Naruto realised he was crying. He was doing so silently, his sob stifled as if to hide the grief, afraid to be heard, afraid to be acknowledged. Naruto peaked at him and saw dull eyes, unseeing and uncaring, with hot tears running down freely. The Uchiha was empty. Something had happened it seemed, and it was more grave than whatever Naruto had imagined.

"Uchiha-san?" he tried, but what he gets was he painful punch to the face. He fell to the ground, groaning over his new wound. He glanced up to the see the Uchiha standing, his hand fisted with anger and rage and Naruto wished he could see more. The once hollow eyes were burning with something, anything, and Naruto recognise the sorrow unlike his own, but so very much alike. Naruto might never understand the lost of a loved one; of dissipating warmth and lifeless bodies. But Naruto had always known pain, and Naruto had always wished for relieve. So with compassion he never knew he had Naruto reached out, and offer himself to him.

"Hit me," Naruto said. "If it makes you feel better, hit me."

Several seconds passed, and it was as if his anger disappeared, his hand relaxed and his hiccups picking up. Tears began to spill again and Naruto opened his arm to catch the boy and the pain, and the raw wails that came out of the Uchiha's mouth. He hugged the other boy close, providing a pilar of strength to the wracking sobs that forced its way out so mercilessly. And he cried along with him, ignoring stung of his damaged face, the ache of his jostled wound.

When they were done crying, the Uchiha will apologise and brought Naruto to his home. He would tend to his wounds—both caused by him and whatnot—and let him sleep. And when they woke up, the Uchiha will introduced himself as Sasuke. And they will talk. Naruto will talk, about anything and everything, because now he had a friend he could babble to. And Sasuke would listen, because that was the only thing he was capable of at the moment.

But for now, they will grief.

Everything can wait.

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The Uchiha Massacre.

If only Naruto knew what that tragedy would bring.

-end of chapter 1-

So, my first ever Naruto fanfiction! What do you think?


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